“Oklahoma City was the scene of a stunning bit of thievery Monday night…….. and Westbrook was a main accomplice” wrote The Oklahoman reporter Joe Mussatto. The words could not have been more true, since it was Russell Westbrook’s efficient shooting that helped the Nuggets not only steal home-court advantage, but steal it from the team with the best win record in the 2024-25 regular season. The 36-year-old made his first playoff game in Oklahoma City, as an opposing player, count. However, there was a moment when it felt that the player was going to spoil things for his team. Don’t take my word for it, as there is footage of a crew of broadcasters highlighting how several NBA fans would have felt in that clutch moment.

The official X account of AltitudeTV featured a behind-the-scenes clip that featured the broadcasters’ crew consisting of Chris Marlowe, Chrisa Dempsey, and Vic Lombardi. As the final seconds played out, each member of the trio looked locked in, their concentration not drifting away from the screen. When Chet Holmgren missed the free throw as OKC led by 119-118 with 9.5 seconds on the clock, the Nuggets gained possession. As the ball came into Russell Westbrook’s hands, Chris Marlowe and some non-visible people could be heard yelling “No, no, no, no”. Seems like they did not trust the veteran to make a shot.

Fortunately, Westbrook did not take the shot for himself. Instead, he passed it to Aaron Gordon, who shot a beautiful 3-pointer. The shot caused the Nuggets broadcasters to raise their arms in delight, while Vic Lombardi even got up from his seat. The trio’s reaction was even better once Jalen Williams attempted a final 3-point attempt from across the court, but could not connect. There was a feeling of triumph over the win, but also delight that it wasn’t Westbrook who shot the ball.

There is a reason why the broadcasters and probably several fans reacted the way that they did. After all, despite the experience he holds, Russell Westbrook is generally considered to be a bad shooter, especially from the 3-point line. Throughout the 1,237 games he has played in his NBA career, Westbrook has averaged only 1.1-3.6 (30.5%) 3-pointers. Even in the 2024-25 regular season, he averaged only 1.3-3.9 (32.3%) 3-pointers, along with 5.0-11.1 (44.9%) field goals, and 2.1-3.1 (66.1%) free throws. Therefore, when you have the chance to beat the best team of the 2024-25 regular season, and time is running out, the last person one might want to depend on is Russell Westbrook. Well, not technically the last. That honor would go to Shaquille O’Neal.

Despite that final-second panic, it’s important to remember that Aaron Gordon would not have made that shot if it weren’t for the assist from Westbrook. Furthermore, Game 1 was still one of the most memorable performances of the veteran’s playoff career.

How did Russell Westbrook perform in Game 1 of the Nuggets-OKC series?

The recent game mattered more to Russell Westbrook than any of his other teammates. After all, it marked his 9th game back in OKC, and 1st playoff one, playing against the team that drafted him back in 2008. Due to this, he received a standing ovation when he first checked in. However, Westbrook was now a Nuggets player. He wanted to come off the bench for his squad, not the home squad. Fortunately, that is exactly what the player did.

Over 30 minutes, Westbrook made 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. He stayed more efficient than before on the court, as he shot 7-13 (53.8%) field goals, along with 3-5 (60.0%) free throws. Unfortunately, the player was still lacking with the far-away shots, as he made only 1-5 (20.0%) 3-pointers. Therefore, there is no doubt that the player made the right decision by giving the ball to Aaron Gordon, aka the player who had a 43.6% 3-point shooting percentage in the 2024-25 regular season.

Thanks to his 18-point performance, Westbrook now ranks as the 30th player on the NBA All-Time Playoff Scoring leaderboard. He boasts a whopping 2,982 career points. Westbrook also passed Reggie Miller and Chris Paul to rank 5th among point guards with the most playoff points. Fans were in awe of the star, with comments like “Ppl tried to convince y’all Russ wasn’t a playoff performer and that was the funny part”, and “Westbrook made huge plays this game” being left in his favor on social media. The series still has a long way to go, and OKC can still put out a tough challenge. Therefore, one hopes that Russell Westbrook keeps maintaining his prowess. At the same time, he should remember to keep passing the ball when the shot has to be made from the 3-point line.